The swirling wind died down, leaving the shimmering wolf standing protectively before Eryx. Its glowing eyes locked onto the approaching beasts, a low, menacing growl reverberating through the air. The wild creatures—a trio of gaunt, wolf-like beasts with jagged claws and fur matted with filth—hesitated, sizing up their unexpected opponent.
Eryx's heart pounded in his chest as he clutched the dagger tightly in his hand. He had no idea what he was doing, but there was no time for hesitation.
The interface blinked again.
[Summon: Alpha Direfang]
Type: Beast Guardian
Traits: Fiercely loyal, highly intelligent.
Command Available: Yes.
The wolf—no, Direfang—let out a snarl, and Eryx, unsure of how to proceed, muttered, "Uh… attack?"
The moment he spoke, Direfang shot forward, a blur of glowing fur and raw power. The clash was swift and brutal. The first creature barely had time to react before Direfang sank its teeth into its throat, shaking it violently and sending a spray of dark ichor into the air.
Eryx winced. "Yikes… remind me not to get on your bad side."
As if in response, Direfang growled lowly but flicked its tail, almost as if acknowledging his words.
The remaining two beasts circled warily, their hackles raised. One darted forward, feinting an attack, but Direfang was faster. It leapt to intercept, its claws slashing across the creature's flank. The beast yelped and stumbled, limping away. The final monster, realizing it was outmatched, snarled once before turning tail and disappearing into the underbrush.
The fight was over.
Eryx let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and leaned against a nearby tree for support. His legs felt like jelly, and his mind raced to catch up with what had just happened.
[Quest Update: Survive and Establish Sovereignty.]
Reward: +50 Sovereign Points.
"Well, I survived," Eryx muttered, his voice shaky. "Guess that counts for something."
Direfang padded back to him, its glowing eyes piercing but not threatening. For a moment, Eryx thought he saw intelligence behind that gaze—something more than just a wild animal.
"You're a lot more impressive than I expected," Eryx said, kneeling cautiously. "I should probably give you a name, huh?"
The wolf tilted its head, as if considering the suggestion.
"Direfang's a bit... on the nose," Eryx said, rubbing the back of his neck. "How about Fenrir? You know, after the mythical wolf. Sounds badass, right?"
The wolf let out a low chuff, almost like a laugh.
"I'll take that as a yes," Eryx said with a smirk. "Alright, Fenrir it is."
He stood, brushing dirt from his pants, and surveyed the area. The creatures were gone, but the forest around him suddenly felt even larger and more dangerous than before. He couldn't shake the feeling that more threats were lurking just beyond his line of sight.
"Okay, System," Eryx said aloud, his voice still carrying a tinge of sarcasm. "You've thrown me into some kind of fantasy deathtrap with a superpowered wolf. What's next? A dragon? Evil wizards? An unpaid mortgage on a castle?"
[Exploration Advised: Expand Knowledge of Environment.]
Eryx sighed. "Not a fan of jokes, huh? Figures."
Still, he couldn't deny the logic of the prompt. If he wanted to survive, he needed to understand this world. With Fenrir trotting at his side like a silent guardian, he set off through the forest.
As they walked, Eryx couldn't help but feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He was in an unfamiliar world with powers he barely understood, and while Fenrir was a powerful ally, he couldn't rely solely on the wolf. He needed to figure out how to use the Ascendant Sovereign System to its full potential.
The interface flickered in his vision again.
[System: Tutorial Phase Ongoing.]
Tutorial. The word almost made Eryx laugh.
"Right, because throwing me into the jaws of death is just the warm-up."
Fenrir let out a soft bark, as if to remind Eryx that he wasn't entirely alone.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Eryx said with a small smile. "Let's just hope the next 'lesson' doesn't involve something worse than rabid wolves."
The sun was beginning to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the forest floor. Eryx's stomach growled, and he realized he hadn't eaten since… well, since before he'd died.
"Do you hunt, Fenrir?" Eryx asked, looking down at the wolf.
Fenrir gave him a flat stare.
"Right, of course you do. Why am I even asking?"
As if to demonstrate, Fenrir darted off into the trees, returning a few minutes later with a rabbit hanging limply from its jaws.
Eryx blinked. "Efficient and terrifying. Got it."
The pair settled by a small stream for the night. Eryx managed to start a fire after a frustrating battle with flint and dry twigs, though not without earning a judgmental side-eye from Fenrir. As they ate, Eryx's thoughts drifted to his past life. The long hours coding, the endless coffee-fueled nights, the lack of real connections… It all felt so distant now, like it had happened to someone else.
"Guess I've got a chance to start over," he said quietly, staring into the flames. "Maybe this time, I can actually get it right."
Fenrir lay beside him, his glowing eyes half-closed but watchful.
The night stretched on, and for the first time since waking in this strange world, Eryx felt a small glimmer of hope. He didn't know what was coming, but with Fenrir at his side and the system in his grasp, he was determined to face it head-on.
Tomorrow would be another step in his journey.